In disease-causing organisms, hybridization allows for the transfer of traits such as virulence and drug resistance. Dr. Mabel Tettey will investigate how hybridization impacts African trypanosomiasis outbreaks caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Dr. Tettey will assess the degree of hybridization occurring in African trypanosome endemic areas, explore the impact of hybridization on virulence, and identify the key molecules involved in this process. She will conduct these experiments in Dr. Michael Grigg’s lab at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. These studies may enable the development of effective disease control strategies against African trypanosomes.